1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to the field of storage area networks, and more particularly to the mirroring of data storage in storage area networks.
2. Related Art
A variety of techniques exist for handling storage of large quantities of data, which is typically required for the effective operation of computer systems in computer networks. These techniques include host-based and storage-based storage management systems. Storage area networks (SANs) have been developed recently as an additional approach to providing access to data in computer networks. A SAN is a network linking servers or workstations to storage devices. A SAN is intended to increase the pool of storage available to each server in the computer network, while reducing the data supply demand on servers.
Data storage, including data stored in SANs, suffers from problems associated with data protection. If data is stored at a single location, that data is susceptible to loss in the event of damage to the storage device maintaining that data. System administrators, and SAN administrators in particular, have to confront the difficulty of protecting data on networks that include a large number of storage devices, and that may include a wide variety of different storage device types and manufactures, communication protocols, and other variations.
One solution to the problem of data protection is to store redundant copies of the data. For example, the data may be stored in a primary storage device, and again in a secondary storage device. In this manner, a localized disaster to one repository of the data will not affect the redundant copy. The maintenance of redundant copies of data presents its own difficulties, however. Such difficulties include keeping the redundant stores of data up-to-date in the face of updates to the data in primary storage (i.e., data synchronization), among others.
Therefore, in view of the above, what is needed is a system, method and computer program product for maintaining protection of data in a storage area network. Furthermore, what is needed is a system, method and computer program product for maintaining storage in redundant locations. Still further, what is needed is a system, method and computer program product for keeping data that is stored in redundant locations up-to-date, or synchronized.